A study from Japan shows many mental health issues associated with teenagers and cell phone use.
A new Japanese study finds that teens who use their mobile phones late at night may have an increased risk for not only sleep deprivation but also mental health issues.
Published in the October issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, researchers found a link betweenteens who used mobile phones after they went to bed and poor mental health and suicidal thoughts compared to those who did not use their phones at this time of night. The researchers controlled for other factors, including alcohol and drug usage.
In the study, researchers investigated nearly 18,000 children in junior high and high schools in Japan, with subjects answering questions about their mental health, in addition to sleep and mobile phone habits.
The study follows prior research that finds poor sleep is associated with mental problems in teens. For example, a study published last year in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found teens who had difficulty sleeping were at an increased risk for suicidal thoughts.
Additionally, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center in the US found that looking at the backlit screen of certain electronic devices can suppress melatonin, a hormone produced during sleep, and cause sleeplessness. This study was published recently in the journal Applied Ergonomics.
Published in the October issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, researchers found a link betweenteens who used mobile phones after they went to bed and poor mental health and suicidal thoughts compared to those who did not use their phones at this time of night. The researchers controlled for other factors, including alcohol and drug usage.
In the study, researchers investigated nearly 18,000 children in junior high and high schools in Japan, with subjects answering questions about their mental health, in addition to sleep and mobile phone habits.
The study follows prior research that finds poor sleep is associated with mental problems in teens. For example, a study published last year in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found teens who had difficulty sleeping were at an increased risk for suicidal thoughts.
Additionally, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center in the US found that looking at the backlit screen of certain electronic devices can suppress melatonin, a hormone produced during sleep, and cause sleeplessness. This study was published recently in the journal Applied Ergonomics.
While according to a recent study ‘Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation’ conducted by Safe Kids worldwide, a global non-profit organisation with the aim to ‘protect kids from unintentional injuries', pedestrian injuries and deaths, particularly among teens between the ages of 16 to 19 years-old in the U.S, has increased by 25% in the last five years due to their inability to put their phones down.
“We suspect one cause of this disturbing trend is distraction, since the increase in teen injuries seems to correlate with the prevalence of cell phone use, both among walkers and drivers,” said president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, Kate Carr.
Due to this, the study suggests that teens in the age group 14-19 ‘account for 50% of child pedestrian injuries in the U.S.’
There has, however, been a significant decrease in the number of deaths and injuries among children between the ages of 5-9 who have previously been at the highest risk. According to Safe Kids, deaths in the younger age group have had a 53% decrease, while pedestrian injuries have dropped by 44% since 1995.
“We suspect one cause of this disturbing trend is distraction, since the increase in teen injuries seems to correlate with the prevalence of cell phone use, both among walkers and drivers,” said president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, Kate Carr.
Due to this, the study suggests that teens in the age group 14-19 ‘account for 50% of child pedestrian injuries in the U.S.’
There has, however, been a significant decrease in the number of deaths and injuries among children between the ages of 5-9 who have previously been at the highest risk. According to Safe Kids, deaths in the younger age group have had a 53% decrease, while pedestrian injuries have dropped by 44% since 1995.
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